Time…it’s one of the first things that comes up when many of us either think about nurturing ourselves, whether it’s stepping up our skin-or-hair care routine, eating better, getting more movement in, reading that book, or starting some other healthy habit.

Yet, when we purposely carve out time or recognize moments that align with those things, the time it takes to do them is worth the effort and it shows from the inside out. For some reason, many exclusively associate healthy eating with having a big budget, working out with a gym and self-care with a fancy spa. Truth is, you don’t need a big budget to have a naturally-nurturing day. It’s nice to have things done for us sometimes but it’s healthy to be proactive about doing what we can with what we have wherever we are. There are so many things that don’t take a lot of effort to do that give so much more in return. Plus, with the new annoyance of imposed ‘lockdowns,’ learning how to tend to our selves and our health at home as much we can is something to remember and apply. With just a few moments of prep, at home nurturing can make a tough day a bit lighter, a light one even better, your skin glow brighter and inspire thankful breaths .

Here’s today’s vlog and after that, a written walk through ingredients for a herbal tea and a clay treatment plus info on an immune system building root from a plant growing in the garden.

Herbal Tea

Today’s tea is (dried) soursop and (fresh) basil leaf from the garden with peppermint, nettle and gingko root.

Clay Treatment (Face & Naturally Wooly Hair)

• 2-3 tsps of Bentonite Clay
• 1 tsp Amla Powder
• 1 tsp Bhringraj Powder
• 1 and 1/2 tbsp Jamaican Black Castor Oil
• Enough water to make a light (not gluey) paste.

For the face: Bentonite clay is a natural exfoliant that draws out impurities and leaves skin soft, smooth and cleansed (but not dry.) It is rich in calcium, magnesium and iron, can remove traces of heavy metals while providing coverage against harmful UV rays. Apply it to your face and neck. Let it dry for 5 minutes and rinse gently with water.

For the hair: This blend brings out the impurities in the scalp, cleanses the hair from any build-up and makes your hair much more supple. Section your already-detangled hair and apply in parts from roots to tip, but focusing on the ends of your hair since those are the oldest parts of our hair so they need attention for length retention.

Gardening

Like one of our favourite guest writers, JulBe says, “we are all gardeners.” Gardening and growing food is something I love to do. It started on a farm I volunteered on while living on another years ago and since then, the joy of watching food and flowers grow before my very eyes and while fast asleep at night stirred up and blossomed with every gifted day. From the relaxing movement to the hard work, heavy lifting and soil sifting, gardening is muscle-building, uplifting, refreshing and soul-nourishing.

Quiet time in the garden, hands in the earth, planting seeds, pulling up weeds, scanning for pests, watering, watching food grow, harvesting, cleaning and cooking provisions and giving thanks…

itsjoywithin

Ashwagandha Harvest

I first heard about Ashwagandha and the many benefits the root has about a year ago, so when I saw a small seedling for sale, it went straight home and into a proper pot. Tea or tincture from ashwagandha root is a potent immune system builder and all-natural uplifting mood enhancer, and those are only two of the health benefits that come from the plant. When the leaves and pods start to dry, it’s time for harvest. Each bead that’s tucked inside a beige leafy cocoon covering is stocked with tiny seeds for re-planting, while the hardy root is separated from the plant, dried then used for tea or a tincture to take.

The Most High places so many things in creation for us to learn and make good use of.

You don’t need a big budget to have a naturally-nurturing day.

How’s your hair care regime now? I’m hosting an online natural hair-care group class in July (2022.) Come join us as we go through key curly-care steps and get beyond any challenges you might be facing in real-time. I’ll share tea tonics, recommended oils and treatments using fruits, herbs and humectants from the garden, kitchen or farm, natural hair growth stimulating techniques, easy-to-do style ideas and doable tips that don’t take a lot of time but reap good results.

You don’t need to spend a whole set of money constantly to grow or care for your naturally curly hair and when we re-frame our mind, hair—care becomes a natural part of our livity (lifestyle) – not an inconvenience but something necessary and beautiful to tend to. Send me a message at itsjoywithin@gmail.com to book your space and step up your naturally curly hair-care routine today. 

Thanks for coming by Its Joy Within. If you’re inspired to help support the blog and beyond, the PayPal email address is itsjoywithin@gmail.com – thanks very much and hope to see you in the next post.

A Good Read, A Hot Drink and Quiet Time